Pictured above: A group of Southwest Denver parents pose for a photo outside the Board of Education meeting room. These families participated in public comment in spring 2025
Share Your Voice with the New Cabinet
In November 2025, Denver voters elected three new members and re-elected one incumbent to the Denver Public Schools Board of Education – leaders who are now tasked with steering the strategic direction of our city’s public schools. While the election is over, community members can continue to share their opinions and advocate for positive changes in DPS by engaging with the new and returning board members.
Introducing the New Board Members and Roles
Four board members were voted into office during the November election to join the three continuing members on the Board of Education. The new members are: Amy Klein Molk, Dr. Donald “DJ” Torres and Monica Hunter. Xóchitl Gaytán was re-elected to her seat in District 2.
The new and returning members have since come together to vote for their officers:
- Xóchitl Gaytán – District 2, President
- Monica Hunter – District 4, Vice President
- Dr. Donald “DJ” Torres – District 3, Treasurer
- Marlene De La Rosa – District 5, Secretary
- Kimberlee Sia – District 1
- Amy Klein Molk – At-Large
- John Youngquist – At-Large
As noted on the DPS Board of Education website, the board’s main focus areas should be to:
- Establish a vision for the community’s schools and participate in strategic planning.
- Develop effective policies and review them periodically.
- Provide accountability to the community on student achievement.
- Advocate for the needs of all students at the local, state and national levels.
- Hire the Superintendent and negotiate a contract.
- Evaluate the Superintendent annually.
- Conduct student and employee appeals.
- Develop, approve and manage the budget.
- Adopt the annual school calendar.
Anticipated Agenda Items in the New Year
Looking ahead into 2026 and beyond, a few topics will be top of mind for the board, all of which they must discuss with the community in order to build the best outcomes for students.
To start, the board will need to examine enrollment boundaries for the first time in at least 30 years. The need to adjust the boundaries are a result of a recently passed policy and could have potentially big impacts on some existing boundaries and the SchoolChoice system.
Additionally, district leaders must continue addressing the realities of declining enrollment, which could once again bring up the need to consider school closures.
How to Join the Conversation
As the Board of Education members begin their terms, they have an obligation to deliver on the commitments they made to voters – and meaningful progress in DPS starts with listening to the community. Parents, family members, educators, students and all stakeholders in Denver have a variety of ways to get involved and share ideas and opinions for a better DPS.
Participate in Public Comment
One of the strongest ways to share your voice and address the Board of Education is during Public Comment, which is held during monthly Work Session & Public Comment meetings. Anyone with a relationship to DPS – such as a DPS student, resident of Denver, family member of DPS student, employee of DPS, or member of an organization partnering with DPS – can sign up to speak for two minutes. Sign-ups open at 9 a.m. on the Thursday before the scheduled Work Session & Public Comment meeting and close at 4:30 p.m. the Tuesday before the scheduled meeting. Learn more and sign up on the DPS Board webpage.
Attend Board Meetings
DPS board meetings are open to the public to attend in-person or view via a livestream. Anyone can attend (or watch) even if they don’t plan to speak, and it offers a great opportunity to hear discussions around important topics impacting DPS and students. View the calendar, access the meeting link and learn more on the DPS Board webpage.
Join an Advisory Group
Advisory groups and committees are created as a way to bring together stakeholders from across the district to research, discuss and make recommendations on areas of impact in DPS. For example, the District Accountability Committee (DAC) is a community-led group of board-appointed parents, educators and community leaders who provide recommendations to DPS. Keep an eye on the DPS website and school communications for the next call-out to join an advisory group.
Contact Board Members Directly
Email contact information is available for each board member so that all community members have a direct line of communication with them. Reach out to board members to share comments, concerns or questions directly with them. Find your board district with this map and access email addresses for each board member here.
Stay Informed and Connected
Review information shared by the district to stay up-to-date on board and district happenings and watch out for engagement opportunities. In addition to the board webpage and district website, consider signing up for Our DPS Weekly to receive updates from the district each week in your inbox. The community can also access the full board minutes following each meeting and special session.
The Board of Education exists to create the best outcomes for DPS as a whole – and members rely on feedback, thoughts and engagement from the community to best understand the state of the district. As the new board members take office, share your voice to make a positive change for Denver’s students.
